Closure operator



c. E. ABBE ET AL 2,09 5

CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed Aug. 13, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 17, 1937.

Attorneys Aug. 17, 1937. c. E. ABBE ET AL.

CLOSURE OPERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 15, 1936 Inventor (7 1 E, nkf'd B gwmah MAR A itorneys Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES CLO SURE OPERATOR Application August 13,

1 Claim.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in means for operating closures, and more particularly to closures such as garage doors and the like.

lhe principal object of the present invention is to provide a garage door operator which can be automatically operated by a vehicle approaching the garage or in the act of leaving the garage.

Another important object of the invention is to 10 provide a closure operator of the character described which will be substantially fool-proof in operation.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a closure operator of the character 15 stated which will, because of its simple construction not be susceptible to the ready development of defects.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become appar- 20 ent to the reader.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a horizontal sectional view through the front portion of the garage showing the doors in closed position.

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the forward portion of a garage showing the doors in closed position and also by dotted lines in open position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional 30 view taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1,

looking forwardly.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that the garage is generally referred to by numeral 5 36 and. consists of the side walls 6-6 and the roof 1. Numeral 8 represents the foundation for the garage which extends forwardly of the front of the garage. A substantial portion of the foundation extending from a forward point of the 40 garage and into the arage is provided with the depression 9. Numerals lll represent the outside and inside treadle platforms which are hingedly connected as at I2 to the slide board 13 which is vertically slidable in the guide trough l4 formed in the foundation 8.

Numerals l-l6 generally refer to the two doors which are hingedly connected as at lll'l to the vertical members l8l 8 of the door frame and each of these doors is made up of a pair of sections ab hingedly connected together as at c.

The free ends of the treadle plates lllll are provided with rollers I9 on their under side for riding engagement against the bottom of the 55 depression 9. a

1936, Serial No. 95,923

At the forward end of each side wall 6 is a balancing unit generally referred to by numeral 20 (see Figure 2). A description of one of these units will sufiice for both. The unit consists of the casing 2! in the upper portion of which is an inverted T-crank 22, the upstanding portion of which is connected to the clevis 23 of the arm 24 projecting inwardly from the section b of the corresponding doors I5I6.

A rod 25 extends upwardly from the inner platform I i and connects by the turnbuckle 26 to one of the remaining arms of the T-crank 22, while the last of the arms of the T-crank 22 has a rod 2'! depending therefrom and provided with a weight 28 at its lower end. Obviously, this weight 28 serves to maintain the platforms l0l I always in elevated position as shown in Figure 2, maintaining the doors closed.

For causing the sections ab of each of the doors l5l6 to operate coordinately, a link member 29-extends from each of the vertical frame members l8 to connect to the outer end of a rocker 30 located on the upper edge of the adjacent door section I), while the inner end of this rocker is connected to the adjacent section a by a pivotal link 3!. will fold as they open.

Thus, the door sections ab Numeral 32 represents a casing which extends horizontally and is secured to the upper portion of the door frame so as to encase the rocker and links 3l29 as well as to act as an abutment for the door section.

As can be seen in Figure 2, numeral 33 represents a bumper for the platform I I and a suitable locking means generally referred to by numeral 34 can be employed under the front platform I0. This means 34 may consist of the push rod 35 operative through guides 3636 and operating a bell crank 31 which in turn is connected to a bolt 38 operative through a keeper 39 provided on the bottom of the depression 9, so that the platform H] can be depressed and the bolt 38 operated to pass through the keeper 39 so that the doors will remain in open or closed position.

It is also preferable that one of the door sections at be provided with a supplemental door 03 hingedly connected as at e to its companion section b. A suitable latch mechanism 7 can be provided for this small door d.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size, and materials may be resorted to without departthe platform, guide means under the platform through which the rod isslidable, a rockable bell crank to which one end of the rod is pivotally connected, and a keeper with which the opposite end of the bell crank is engageable when the platform is in depressed. position for maintaining the said platform in depressed position and the doors in open position.

CHARLES E. ABBE.

WILLIAM O. WARD. 

